The Best Man Wins
by toosweet
Summary: The title says it all. Sort of, but not really, tags to "The Lost Tribe".
1. Chapter 1

Tag to "The Lost Tribe"

**The Best Man Wins**

Jennifer looked back as Ronon caught up with her. She was fond of him and yes, attracted in the way women are frequently attracted to the strong, silent, dangerous, dead sexy type of man who gives off tons of testosterone, speaks in one word sentences and is capable of carrying his woman over his shoulder with one hand while fighting off hoards of rampaging dinosaurs, or Wraith, with the other. But that was a far as it went. Sure, she'd had a momentary thought of that attraction turning into something much more, especially after they'd been trapped in the infirmary during the citywide lockdown. They'd even nearly kissed. But it was a fleeting thing. She had tried and failed to picture herself bringing Ronon home to Chippewa Falls to meet her dad. Every scenario she envisioned ended in disaster. Mostly with someone maimed or killed.

Then there was Rodney. Arrogant, egotistical, bad with people, loyal, honorable, courageous, loveable Rodney McKay. He would impress and annoy her dad at the same time. But dad enjoyed a good discussion. Like Rodney, he never used a single word when a thousand would do. Dad also didn't suffer fools or stupidity easily.

Rodney's steadfast loyalty to the people he thinks of as a surrogate family was one of his more endearing qualities along with his tendency to stutter when flustered and yes, even his propensity for resorting to sarcasm when upset or frightened.

Ronon wanted her; she could see it in his eyes, the windows to the soul but he didn't _need_ her. Rodney wanted her too but he _needed_ her more. And she needed to be needed. Besides, she loved Rodney.

Jennifer sensed in Rodney a deep reservoir of love and affection hiding in the dark corners of his brilliant mind just waiting to be brought out it into the light of day where it could flourish. Mixed in with it, where he might not even realize it himself, she perceived a great _need_ for someone who genuinely cared for him unconditionally and without reservation. With the right woman to love and nurture him, he could be even more extraordinary than he already was. Sometimes, alone in her room at night when Atlantis was resting from the rigors of the day, she marveled that this remarkable man had given his love freely to _her_. Her only regret was that it had taken the intervention of a disgusting parasite for him to make his feelings known. And he was taking his sweet time getting around to a first overture. She might have to take the lead if he didn't get to it soon.

When Ronon asked her if she wanted to get something to eat, she decided it was time to cut to the chase, so to speak. "Listen, I'm really glad you came on the mission. I mean, without you we'd probably all be dead. But I-I just want to be clear because, um…" She took a deep breath. "I just want you to know that, uh, I'm kind of…interested in somebody else."

"So?" His face gave no indication that he thought of her as anything other than a friend and that confused her for a moment.

"I just didn't want to you to get the wrong…"

"I just-I just um, wanted to get something to eat."

"Okay because I thought-"

"Well, you're wrong."

"Okay."

"Okay."

"Do you still wanna go eat?" She turned in the direction of the dining hall.

"No, I should-should probably …" Inhale, exhale. "I should…" He turned and walked away, his long legs eating up the distance until he rounded a corner and was gone, leaving Jennifer to wonder what just happened.

*****

Daniel Jackson had been badly injured during their incarceration by the renegade Asgard faction living in the Pegasus galaxy and Rodney was making his way toward the infirmary to visit him, maybe mooch a little of his dinner. As he strode causally down the corridor toward the lift that would take him to the infirmary level he saw Ronon coming towards him. He seemed to have a full head of steam, his features in its perpetual scowl only more so. Rodney quickly reviewed his location trying to find somewhere to hide because he was sure that he'd done something that Ronon had taken exception to. He always managed to tick him off without meaning to or realizing that he'd done so. He'd just remembered a storage closet he could hide in when Ronon called out to him.

"McKay! Let's talk." Always short and to the point.

He tried to evade the bigger man but his way was blocked on one side by a bench and a plant, on the other side by a wall and in front by Ronon himself. His only choice was to retreat but it was too late. He tried to calm himself because he was sure that Ronon could smell fear. "Can't talk now. Busy. Gotta go."

"Hold up, McKay. I just want to congratulate you. You win." He stuck his right hand out.

"Um, thank you?" The grip Ronon had on his right hand was just short of crushing.

"She made the right choice. And no hard feelings." He slapped him on the back with a small grin then stepped past the shorter man and disappeared as quickly as he had appeared.

"What hard feelings? What are you talking about?" That last was shouted at Ronon's retreating back. "She who?" The smartest man in Atlantis took another thirty seconds to get it. A billion kilowatt grin spread over his face. He clapped his hands together. "She picked me!" People walking past ignored him. It was SOP to see Dr. McKay talking to himself. "_She_ picked _me_!"

Rodney practically danced down the corridor to the lift door. He stood in front of it, hands behind his back, bouncing on his toes. "She picked me!" The door opened and he stepped inside, his eyebrows now coming together in confusion. "She picked _me_?"

The End

Or The Beginning, depending on your POV.


	2. Chapter 2

Another tag to "The Lost Tribe"

**His Greatest Disappointment**

_Those curious locks so aptly twin'd,  
Whose every hair a soul doth bind._

~_Thomas Carew_

"No, I should-should probably…" Inhale, exhale. "I should…" Ronon turned and walked away from Jennifer before she could see the disappointment in his face, his long legs taking him away from her, from the first woman he'd come to care for since Melena died. His mind tried to make sense of her words.

"_I just want you to know that, uh, I'm kind of…interested in somebody else."_

Who else _could_ it have been but McKay? As far as he knew she had not shown interest in anyone but the two of them. He'd once thought that she and Lorne might have had something going on but it turned out that they were just good friends. Lorne himself had told him so.

What he felt for Jennifer wasn't love. At least not yet. But he wanted her. Wanted her in the way he wanted water in the desert, food when he was hungry or warmth when he was cold.

He thought about the day McKay asked his intentions. They'd shaken hands and agreed to let the best man win, that _she_ would be the one to decide, which, if either, she preferred. Well, she'd made her choice and, apparently, she wanted McKay.

McKay was his friend and they'd risked their lives for each other on more than one occasion so he did not bear him any ill will. That is why he sought him out, to congratulate him. He'd seemed confused at first but, as he pointed out to everyone all the time, he was a genius and would, no doubt, figure it out eventually. Whether or not he really was the best man remained to be seen.

Ronon passed a hand over the door sensor and entered his quarters. He headed toward the bathroom tossing his weapon and shirt on the bed as he went. The cold water he splashed on his face soothed him, bringing his heartbeat down to a more normal rhythm.

The towel scratched lightly at his skin as he dried his face. Normally he did not spend a great deal of time contemplating his reflection in the mirror. His face was his face and nothing would change that, not even if he'd been disfigured. The scars would be a symbol of honorable combat fought and won. He'd wear them proudly.

Unbidden, his mind brought up a memory of Jennifer and himself out for a run. They had stopped to stretch and hydrate when she abruptly reached out and began fondling a tendril of his hair. "Wow. I love your hair. It's so soft. Like a baby's." Her face showed wonder as she continued to hold the strands in her strong capable fingers, turning the lock of hair to examine the ring of metal entwined in it. She smiled and he'd almost kissed her then but she had stood abruptly. "Race you to that corner." And she was off like a shot with him hot on her heels.

They were friends and, though he was certain that she would want to continue that friendship no matter what, she was now his greatest disappointment. He reached down to pull a large knife from its place in the top of his left boot. Pulling the lock with the metal ring away from his head, he placed the knife barely and inch from his scalp and lopped it off with one swift stroke.

Again and again and again he performed the same action until the sink was full and nothing was left on his head but small clumps of curly brown hair where the shoulder length dreadlocks had once been. He wet his hands and pushed them through what was left of his hair fingering the leftover bits until they spread out and covered his head evenly all around. Then he brought his hands down to his sides. The mirror now reflected the face of a stranger.

_Finis?_


	3. Chapter 3

One more tag to "The Lost Tribe"

**Something's Different About Rodney**

"So you can only give compliments to the _dying_?" Daniel was incredulous. How could any one man be so incapable of allowing his feelings to show to anyone? _Never mind_, he told himself. _This is_ McKay _we're talking about_.

"It's something I'm working on." To his credit, Rodney did look discomfited at the revelation. Daniel took pity on him and changed the subject.

"Do you want to try any of this?" He indicated his nearly untouched tray.

"Ooo, fries?"

"Yeah, have it. Dive right in." And Rodney did so without hesitation.

Daniel looked closer at the man shoveling food into his mouth like he was starving. "Something's…different about you."

"Different? How?" His eyebrows came together in confusion.

"I don't know exactly. You just seem…happier…than I've ever seen you."

"Really? That's odd because I'm generally a happy person."

"No, you aren't."

"Yeah, I am."

"_No_. You're _not_."

"No, I'm not. Or I wasn't but I am or rather I'm starting to be. So, uh, how am I…different?"

"You're smiling. One of those cat-that-ate-the-canary smiles." Daniel overplayed it spectacularly looking more like the Cheshire cat.

Rodney drew his eyebrows together. "I'm not smiling. Why would you think I'm smiling?"

Jennifer walked up just then catching the last sentence. "Because you are, Rodney. How are you feeling, Dr. Jackson? Your vitals look as good as can be expected under the circumstances." He made a waggle with his hand as she glanced at his vitals on the monitor. She moved to stand beside Rodney, swiping one of his fries and popping it in her mouth. The side of her hand swept lightly across his thumb where it held the tray startling him. Flustered and blushing lightly, he nearly dropped it. Jennifer grabbed one side to steady it. When her eyes met his she too blushed, a small smile playing on her lips as she left them alone again.

To Daniel, a trained observer, the brush of her hand on Rodney's looked deliberate though he was sure she had meant it to appear accidental. "Oh, okay. I get it now."

"What? What do you get?"

Now Daniel had that pleased with himself smile. "Why you're so happy all of the sudden. You and Dr. Keller are…" He waggled his eyebrows.

"What? No, no. We're just, ah…" Rodney couldn't figure out how to end that sentence without giving everything away so he trailed off. Taking a deep breath, he decided to lay it all out. "She's uh, well that is, I, um…and she…"

"You're in love with her." Reluctantly Rodney nodded. "And she's in love with you."

"Really? You think so? 'Cause she's never…and I haven't…but Ronon said she um…and then I came here to uh see you and she…" He trailed off again.

"Trust me, Rodney. I've been there. I know the signs. You and she are hopelessly gone on each other." He was rewarded for his candor when another blush reddened Rodney's cheeks. "You should do something about it and soon."

"I'll keep that in mind. Well, you get some rest and I'll see you later."

He set the food tray aside and turned for the exit just as Jennifer came back through the infirmary. With Daniel's advice still ringing in his head he called out to her. "Um, Jennifer, could I, uh, have a word with you."

"Sure. What about?"

"Well, you see, I-uh, that is, I was wondering…and thought maybe you'd, that is, um…" He looked over at Daniel who nodded his encouragement. "Uh…Oh, the hell with it."

Rodney took her by the arms, pulled her against his chest and kissed her right there in the infirmary in front of Daniel and her staff. After a startled gasp, she relaxed, her hand sliding up his arms to loop around his neck. His hands moved to her back pressing her even closer, his happiness quotient going off the charts.

Just as Jennifer was about to part her lips to touch her tongue to his, a loud cheer went up from the spectators and, over that the couple heard a voice saying, "It's about _time_!" Arms still around each other, they turned to see John Sheppard standing there with his arms crossed and a very satisfied expression. Without a word the couple went back to kissing.

**The End? No, it's just the beginning!**


End file.
